The platform allows users to search for individual journalists or media outlets by name, title, or category, and build lists of media contacts. Profiles include journalists' Klout scores and social media details.

Users can distribute news releases to their media lists or through PR Newswire's network within the same dashboard. Media monitoring tools, which include filters for outlet, topic, company, and person, are also available.

Agility also includes more advanced social engagement features, making social interaction simpler even for users who have not developed an extensive social media strategy, said director of customer engagement Michelle Putman. Users are able to share stories and links on Twitter and Facebook by clicking the ‘Engage' button on the dashboard, and then monitor related social media activity.

Current PR Newswire users can upgrade to Agility, but eventually it will become the “de facto platform,” Putman explained.

“It was very important to pull all that together under a primary umbrella,” Guillot said. “Then we can report on it, gain insight from it, and help clients be empowered from that data.”

The cost of Agility ranges from $5,000 to $15,000, depending on the number of users and features accessed. The platform has been in development for over a year, and more than 300 early adopters tested the service in beta.